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Hermès doesn't rely much on advertising to sell its notoriously hard-to-get bags, but the brand is ramping up its social media presence to expand its menswear business. The Wall Street Journal reports that Hermès is unveiling its new Le MANifeste d’Hermès campaign with a spiffy new website and a soiree tonight in Chicago for 350 elite customers and VIPS.
The website itself is playful, with plenty of gifs, animated shorts, and games that redirect viewers to the main Hermès e-commerce site. The hope is that the website will help customers discover the world of Hermès menswear, which is less known than its main business and described by WSJ as appealing to a "cult customer."
The pieces shy away from logos and instead feature hidden details known only to the wearer, like lambskin-lined coat pockets, tiny cufflinks on shirts, and reversible tailored blazers. Designer Véronique Nichanian told WSJ: "I love to have this connection with men, where they say ‘it’s for me,’ because some of the details, it’s only for you. It’s the sense of the unique. I hate to have big logos." The prices for these pieces are right in line with what you'd expect for Hermès: $5,150 wool suits, $3,350 bomber jackets, $1,600 wool v-neck sweaters, and $9,100 men’s leather briefcases.